Thursday, 6 December 2012

Romantic trim curtain and the dreaded dressing table

What better way to start with a beautiful picture. So I have searched the whole web looking for a effortless but pretty romantic style white curtain, when I say searched I have spent countless of days sifting through google images and nothing. I did have my eye on a frill curtain from Target but unfortunately here in the UK we can not purchase from most American stores on line. So as always my brain is always ticking and decided to make a set of curtains myself.

I came across this flat sheet with a crocheted trim I instantly knew what I was going to do with it, my friend who was shopping with me was a little puzzled and I assured her everything will go to plan. I opted for a super king size sheet as a girl can never have too much ruffle. I picked up a pair of curtains from Ikea £10 sheer white but strong enough to keep their shape. I took out the flat sheet and cut straight up the middle, I added wonder web and ironed a nice neat hem on the cut edges.

Whilst in Ikea I picked up two packs of curtain clips for £4 I neatly attached the hemmed sheet to the Ikea curtain and luckily it was the exact size to match up width ways. Once lined up I carefully clipped the two curtains together to form one solid curtain. Once I am happy with the desired amount of gather I will wonder web the two curtains together on each side. As we are moving I decided to leave them as I wont know the exact size of the next window. I bought two trimmed sheets so I will be definitely be making another set of curtains.

I am so pleased with the way they turned out they are so unique and nobody has the same pair of curtains.

Although they will need a good iron I feel they will hold up well and washing them wont be a problem either.

If you fancy making these curtains get your self to Home sense fast these are retailed at £55 per sheet I grabbed these at £19.99 "Bargain".

So in my last post I made over a Louis style dressing table, this was sold quicker than it took me to paint it. I have had endless calls asking if it is still for sale. I believe I came across a rare bargain and I was straight down to my local junk shop in search for another. Unfortunately nothing so I came home with this dressing table instead. Its not as pretty as the last but at £45 I could do wonders with it. I attacked it with the paint brush and to my surprise..........

What the ............

I shouted into the kitchen "ANSON.... WOODWORM ATTACK" Jesus I have never come across woodworm in all my experience of old furniture renovation. My heart sunk I added heavy thick layers of Annie sloan and it worked but I just was not happy in selling something on in this condition. I opened the drawers and they were full of dead Beatles. I was itching and scratching and had to get it out of the house fast!. I called the furniture shop up the next day and he insisted I sell it on with wood worm but this was not good enough as he did not tell me prior to purchasing and I could not see the holes when I bought it. He said if I removed the paint I could have a refund. So I confidently assured him Annie Sloan could be removed easily with water and sponge. Anson handed me a degreaser spray in which he uses at work to remove heavy residue. It took it off in one clean sweep, not only the paint but the varnish too. I was in panic mode as they arrived to collect it, they would not give me a refund and took the dressing table back to the warehouse. As we drove by later that day he had it on show at the front of the shop for sale. Gutted to say the least but who is going to buy this?. I have been given a credit note but do not feel hopeful in buying anything without the owner doubling everything. So this is a lesson learnt and in future folks please check for wood worm. I had visions of falling through my floor boards on the way down the stairs the next morning haha. Have any of you had any experiences with wood worm and do any of you mind it? Let me know below.

15 comments:

I have come across woodworm before usually on darker pieces of furniture where it is not so easy to see. As a result I keep in some woodworm treatment and in any event tend to give any new pieces a dousing over in any event. You cannot be too careful. Sometimes as well the piece looks dormant but if the grubs are still there it leaves the piece open to further attack and other wood furniture in your home. As a result I tend to go over the piece with a fine tooth comb and use my hands to feel for any rough bits as you would if you were looking for a chip on a piece of glass. Its a shame but the bloke you bought it from is more than a little out of order. It would have made a lovely piece. Just be more careful in the future and just put this down to experience, but always on darker pieces eye the furniture up carefully as it is easily masked.

Hi Pinky :)Love your curtains! i am taking some long white panels with trim on to the cottage today so fingers crossed they look as pretty as yours.Beetles in the drawer eek!! i have table that has great markings from woodworm,i like it...The shop we bought it from used to dip and strip and soak anything like that in a treatment and he told us it is common in old furniture,they just disguise it well xxx

Hi pinky 2! Yes I can imagine lots of furniture has been attacked by the dressed worm fingers crossed it has not spread into the rest of my beloved furniture. For me I'm not too keen on holes :( hope you are well down at shingle cottage.

What a shame, I have also has encounters with those little wood munching beasties. What a meanie that seller was too! Take your business elsewhere sweetie. Blooming love your curtains though! You clever thing, I would love something like this for my bedroom xxx

I have never encountered or ever heard of worm wood damage, but I think they sometimes furniture manufacturers make decorative faux worm wood marks on pieces to add to the look, which is kind of funny after reading your post....it sounds awful. The dealer sounds awful as well...but on the bright side the curtains were a triumph!~

I also have had an annoying encounter with woodworm. I took some old drawings of Sr P's in to be framed for his birthday a couple of years back. As I wanted them done in a particular way they were quite costly to frame. On the day my husband was delighted with the birthday gift but when he turned them over and he said to me there was woodworm in the back of the wooden frame ....I just couldn't believe it! This wasn't from a second hand dealer or a homemade job but from a shop. I went straight back of course and the assistant had the cheek to say to me I must have woodworm in my house and it had spread to the frame. You can imagine how annoyed I felt when he said this considering I had only picked them up two days before from the shop. In the end and after a lot of unpleasantness and speaking to the Manager/Owner of the shop they did them again, but I got no apology and they won't get me back there again. I've always been quite confused by how this could happen because I have always thought these places have all the woods sprayed before using them.However lesson learned check your order well before leaving the shop.

About Me

Welcome to my blog my name is Tracy I became a stay at home mum in 2011 and ever since then I have found a new love in our home.
My partner of 13 years and my son are a huge part of my life, we live in Manchester and enjoy city life.
My love for shabby chic has grown on me over the years and it was only this past year our home has changed dramatically. Being a stay at home mum means spending a lot of time looking at the four walls I wanted to make use of this time a challenge some creative energy into our new family home.
What we couldn't afford we have simply renovated and what I have not found I have simply made myself.
Your home say's more about you more than money ever will so enjoy putting your mark and love into everything you create.